Carl Jung used the term “luminous” to describe the quality of particularly vivid dreams that fill the dreamer with a sense of sacred awe and wonder. This picture of Angel Gabriel telling Joseph that Mary was going to have the child Jesus comes close to that inspirational sacred awe that I believe Jung was talking about. This photo of this great masterpiece of art is from the National Gallery in London, England. When I look at this picture, I get a very expansive, otherworldly, and sacred feeling about it.

This depiction of events that would change the course of world history is profoundly moving at a subconscious level, particularly for Christians, because of conscious and subconscious beliefs held by them. It is this vaulting above and beyond human reasoning, that is striving to propel mankind to a higher plane of existence, that makes luminous dreams and art beyond the scope of rationalization.

There are certain types of dreams that fill the dreamer with a sense of sacred fear and wonder. These transcendental dreams were called “numinous dreams” by psychoanalyst Otto. They are closely related to vision dreams in which the person feels like it is closer to being an experience than a dream.

These vision dreams often occur after the death of a loved one. The person feels that the deceased communicates, often telepathically, a message that is meant to reassure the dreamer. Often in these vision dreams, the dreamer feels they can see, hear, smell and feel the deceased. This often takes place in the context of the dreamer feeling like they actually physically hugged the loved one who has passed.

Some of these numinous dreams involve angels and images of Jesus. I know a dreamer who regularly feels she visited heaven. Communication with spirits and guides who transmit messages about the dreamer’s life destiny is not uncommon.

The memorable thing about these dreams is the striking iconic imagery which can involve symbols which the dreamer can not dismiss. For instance, one such dream could involve the dreamer being shown his tombstone by a glorious angel. On his tombstone might be the moving image of the dreamer defeating Satan in battle by helping the poor and downtrodden.

The lighting and tone of these dreams often convey a spiritual white light that defines the sacredness of the moment. The dream memory becomes emblazoned in the dreamer’s mind as setting the destiny of what she is meant to accomplish in life.

You will hear persons talk about doing “spiritual warfare” in their dreams in which they respond to demons with the Word of God. These dreams often strike deep fear into the dreamer. They frequently view their lives as a spiritual struggle they are fated to endure.

It is often a realization of the will of God which can be sacred fear. It is a destiny from which they feel there is no escape. Wherever you go, there you are.

Like this:

Dream 256: A 52-year-old woman dreamed that she had sex with a Catholic priest. She then saw the image of a Catholic nun. She then saw the image of a female Reike energy healer that she knew. This healer looked amazingly attractive and had glorious angel wings.

Interpretation– This dream is all about spirituality. She was raised Catholic. Her having sex with a priest indicates that she wants to actively integrate spirituality into her life (men are associated with action parts of the psyche while women tend to go with more emotional parts). The nun image was present because she emotionally felt she needed more spirituality in her life.

The female Reike healer had an amazing life story. She spent seven years in a wheelchair before healing herself with energy work. The image of the healer with angel wings is numinous (inspiring transcendental sacred awe in the beholder). She was amazingly attractive because she was an ideal woman, an anima figure, which is associated with healing. She wanted an active and inspired spirituality that helped heal people. The dream was symbolic of spirituality instilled in her youth that she wanted to activate to heal others through Divine power.